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Sleeving


hawkeye

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When you make a new line set do you have to use a sleeve on themconfused_1.gif

It is possible to make them without sleeving, as the Revolution supplied lineset for my original EXP testifies. Having said that, ongoing maintenance (i.e. adjusting / equalising) is *far* easier if they're sleeved!

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I haven't used sleeving in over a decade. Makes a bigger place for tangles to happen and I haven't ever broken a line at the knots EVER! I use 50#, 90# and 150# LaserPro, mostly the Gold version but some Comp as well.

You tie the loop with a stopper knot at the center (before you make the loop).

Use a set of forceps to make this knot tying easily repeatable. Grasp the end of the line in the jaws, lock 'em. Melt a nice fat & round end-point with a lighter. Now wrap around, from the jaws-skinny part to the locking mechanism, go a couple of times around (this measurement is defining the location of the center of the loop you'll eventually be forming). Move the forceps to the new location and pinch on a single thickness of the line. Place an overhand knot at this point, butted against the forceps. Place another overhand knot (using both legs this time) against the stopper knot, spread the two legs apart and yank the knot into position. This knot can slide, . . . good you want that!! Slide it against the very end of the loop (you haven't closed the other end of it yet). Now place the forceps at the end of the line where you want to close-off and complete the loop, sliding your fingers along both legs so they're nice & even, with the stopper knot CENTERED in the loop on the very end. Use a figure of eight knot to close the loop. This knot wants to travel in both directions. That's okay, 'cause you've carefully measured and placed the stopper. The "closer knot" can be anywhere along that length and the size will remain consistent. It will never fail, it's two lines wrapped around each other in a figure of eight (8 thicknesses & no tight turns, where the single flying line length departs the loop)

With the stopper, now you have a place to grasp when you want to remove your flying lines, works for me even with gloves on. It's nice and clean, no snag points and double strength everywhere it's in contact with the bridle.

Say you need to adjust your lines overall length, wow talk about easy. Take the longest line and add a knot into the loop (away from the stopper end). If you've measured carefully you should wind up with a large loop and you'd adjust by adding little tiny knots along it's length. You can do these adjustments many times over the course of a season (if you fly a lot for example) and still have plenty of loop to work with for your larksheading to the bridle. I test line lengths by aligning the handles from a well placed stake, pull 'em back tight and examine. Slightly and slowly give slack, the longer line will drop lower. Check that your handles are exactly equal a couple of times. Test the tops independently from the bottoms, constantly comparing left and rights. If necessary add a knot to loop of the longest one. When everything is perfect mark the loops with a sharpie pen, identifying each attachment point, . . . top-left, . . . bottom-right, etc

PS: Get rid of those big old knots on your handle leaders too. A single thickness of 100# or 170# hi-test bridle line will never fail, one less thing to worry about. I use a double thickness of #100 personally.

Examine your bridle, is there excessive wear or a big knot in the way on it?

What about those end caps? Are the down spar caps along the leading edge STICKIN' UP? That's another sure snag point. Adjust your bungies so those top caps are flush, then address the ones along the bottom. I see lots of folks who've snugged up the slack along the bottom only and pushed their end-caps up more than a 1/2 inch!

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Yeah, what Paul and Rich said. I can't remember the last time I sleeved a line. 15 years ago, maybe? The only sleeved lines in my bag are sets that came with sleeving (e.g. LPG from Theressa). I don't even sleeve the 1800# spectra I use for my show kites...

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